Monday, February 14, 2005

In 1994, it came to President Bill Clinton's attention that North Korea was pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Knowing that a show of strength would earn the North Koreans' respect, he sent Jimmy Carter to negotiate. Using his vast experience in appeasing the Soviets, Iron Balls Carter quickly persuaded North Korea to abandon their nuclear ambitions. In return for scrapping their nuclear weapons programs, the U.S. would provide them with the means to build nuclear weapons, along with millions of dollars in humanitarian aid so they wouldn't have to divert any resources from their nuclear weapons programs in order to feed the people. He further convinced North Korea that should they ever break their promise and continue their nuclear weapons programs, neither side should acknowledge it.

Although Jimmy Carter deserves most of the credit, this monumental pact was the defining moment in Clinton's presidency, and along with his Roadmap to Peace in the Middle East, it's main the reason he's known as "The Great Diplomat".

Fast forward to 2002. Instead of rewarding our new friends with a big check for not building nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Colin Powell sends his lackey, James Kelly, to confront the North Koreans with evidence that they have been using the nuclear weapons technology we gave them to build nuclear weapons. The North Koreans are understandably outraged at this blatant breach of the Agreed Framework, but afford Powell the opportunity to redeem himself by dancing a jig and singing "I'm a Little Teapot". Powell, however, is no Madeline Albright, and rudely declines. Insulted, the North Koreans withdraw from the Nonproliferation Treaty, vowing to continue their nuclear weapons program just to teach us a lesson. So like the Gipper before him, Bush's stubborn pride and cowboy diplomacy throws millions of people under the cloud of nook-ular annihilation.

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